They see me trolling...

Yes, this is my first post in a Singapore-related blog, and I am not even in Singapore. However, I'd beg to differ that part of the Singapore experience is the anxiety in getting there. You see, the past few months, I have been trolling a godsend of a site, www.singaporeexpats.com. I've been reading about housing, different neighborhoods, weather, all the little things one has to consider when uprooting one's life and moving into a totally different territory. However, the forum section that fascinates me the most is the one devoted to meeting new people.

I think I've been pretty blessed in my social upbringing thus far. I've made friends with friends of friends, or have gladly found companions with associates at work and in school. Moving to Singapore will not be this way - gone are the days of connections, and hello to befriending random strangers. I am anticipating the moment when I will make that first 'hello, I am Maggie, these are my stats' post, and questioning the kind of random people I will inevitably meet. People with whom I haven't shared a past or an affiliation; people who will be brand new for the first time.

Do I need the fresh start? No. If I could uproot and take all my friends and family with me, of course I would (if they were willing, of course.) However, I really can't deny that there is something very wonderful about the happenstance nature of making random friends. Some of my best and even strongest friendships I have now were made with people I was thrown into random situations with (college roommates, study abroad friends, etc.) And while I am trolling an expat forum and will indubitably make other expat friends with whom I can comiserate, I will treasure the friendships I forge with locals all the same.

I'm looking forward to new places, new faces, and Internet/singaporeexpats.com, you're the tool that is instrumental in helping me get there.